Aitareyabrahmana 6.2: ADHYĀYA II

Rigveda Brahmanas: The Aitareya and Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇas of the Rigveda (HOS 25) 6.2

Language: English

ADHYĀYA II

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The Çastras of the other Hotrakas at Sattras and Ahīnas.

vi. 4 (xxvii. 1). The gods performed a sacrifice; as they were performing it the Asuras came up to them (saying) 'We will make a confusion of their sacrifice.' From the south they approached them, where they thought was the thinnest part of the sacrifice. The gods perceiving this put Mitra and Varuṇa around on the south; by means of Mitra and Varuṇa on the south at the morning pressing they smote away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Verily thus also the sacrificers by means of Mitra and Varuṇa on the south at the morning pressing smite away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Therefore the Maitrāvaruṇa recites (the litany) to Mitra and Varuṇa at the morning pressing, for by means of Mitra and Varuṇa the gods smote away the Asuras and the Rakṣases on the south at the morning pressing. Smitten off at the south the Asuras entered

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the sacrifice in the middle. The gods perceiving this placed Indra in the middle; they with Indra in the middle smote away the Asuras and Rakṣases at the morning pressing. Verily thus also the sacrificers with Indra in the middle smite away the Asuras and the Rakṣases at the morning pressing. Therefore the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin at the morning pressing recites (a litany) to Indra, for with Indra in the middle the gods at the morning pressing smote away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. The Asuras, smitten off in the middle, entered the sacrifice from the north. The gods, perceiving this, put Indra and Agni around on the north; with Indra and Agni on the north at the morning pressing they smote away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Verily thus also the sacrificers with Indra and Agni on the north at the morning pressing smite away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Therefore the Achāvāka at the morning pressing recites (a litany) to Indra and Agni, for with Indra and Agni on the north at the morning pressing the gods smote away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. The Asuras smitten off on the north ran round to the front in battle array. The gods perceiving this placed Agni around in front at the morning pressing; with Agni in front at the morning pressing they smote away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Verily thus also the sacrificers with Agni in front at the morning pressing smite away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Therefore the morning pressing is connected with Agni. He smites away evil who knows thus. The Asuras, smitten off in front, having gone round to the back entered. The gods, perceiving this, put the All-gods, as their self, around behind at the third pressing; they with the All-gods, as themselves, behind at the third pressing smote away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Verily thus also the sacrificers with the All-gods, as themselves, behind at the third pressing smite away the Asuras and the Rakṣases. Therefore the third pressing is connected with the All-gods. He smites away evil who knows thus. So the gods smote away the Asuras from the whole of the sacrifice. Then the gods prospered, the Asuras were defeated. He prospers himself, the evil rival who hates him is defeated, who knows thus. The gods with the sacrifice so ordered smote away the Asuras, the evil, and conquered the world of heaven. He smites away the evil rival who hates him and conquers the world of heaven who knows thus and who knowing thus orders the pressings.

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vi. 5 (xxvii. 2). They make the strophe the antistrophe of the strophe

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at the morning pressing; verily thus they make one day the counterpart of the other; verily thus by the preceding day they lay hold of the subsequent day. But this is not the case at the midday (pressing); the Pṛṣṭhas are prosperity; they have not the position for the purpose of making the strophe the antistrophe of the strophe. By reason of the same distinction they do not at the third pressing make the strophe the antistrophe of the strophe.

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vi. 6 (xxvii. 3). Next as to the commencing verses. ‘With true guidance for us, let Varuṇa’ is that of the Maitrāvaruṇa (containing) ‘Let Mitra lead us knowing’; the Maitrāvaruṇa is the leader of the Hotrakas; therefore this (verse) contains the word ‘leader’. ‘Indra for you on all sides’ is that of the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin, (containing) ‘We invoke for men’; verily with this (verse) day by day they invoke Indra. When they invoke in competition no other appropriates Indra, where a Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin knowing thus day by day recites this (verse). ‘What time, when the Soma was pressed, men’ is that of the Achāvāka; ‘invoked Indra and Agni’ (it continues); verily with this (verse) day by day they invoke Indra and Agni. When they invoke in competition no other appropriates Indra and Agni, where an Achāvāka knowing thus recites this (verse) day by day. They are ships which carry over to the world of heaven; verily with these (verses) they cross to the world of heaven.

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vi. 7 (xxvii. 4). Next as to the concluding verses. ‘May we be thine, O god Varuṇa’ is that of the Maitrāvaruṇa; ‘Sap and light may we obtain’ (it ends); ‘sap’ is this world; ‘light’ is yonder world; verily with this (verse) they lay hold of both worlds. ‘He hath traversed the atmosphere’ is that of the Brāhmaṇācchaṅsin, a triplet, containing the word ‘apart’; verily with these he puts apart the world of heaven for them. ‘In the joy of the Soma the worlds, when Indra broke Vala’ (he says); the consecrated ones are eager to win; therefore this (verse) contains the word ‘hole’ (*vala*).

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‘He drove out the cows for the Aṅgirases,
Revealing them that were in secret,
Headlong he hurled Vala;’

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verily with this (verse) he wins booty. ‘By Indra the spaces of the

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sky' (he says); the spaces of the sky are the world of heaven; by Indra (they) 'Are made firm and established The firm are not to be moved away'; verily with this (verse) day by day they continue to find support in the world of heaven. 'I seek of those with Sarasvatī' is that of the Achāvāka; Sarasvatī is speech; verily thus he says 'of those with speech'; 'Of Indra and Agni the aid' (he says); speech is the dear abode of Indra and Agni; verily thus he unites these two with their dear abode. With a dear abode does he prosper who knows thus.

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vi. 8 (xxvii. 5). There are two kinds of concluding verses of the Hotrakas, at the morning and at the midday, those of the Ahīna and those of the one day rites. The Maitrāvaruṇa concludes with those of the one day rite only; thereby he departs not from the world. With those of the Ahīna the Achāvāka, to obtain the world of heaven. Both are used by the Brāhmanācchaṅsin; thereby grasping both he goes to this and to yonder world; moreover he goes grasping both, the Maitrāvaruṇa and the Achāvāka, the Ahīna and the one day rite, the year and the Agniṣṭoma. Now at the third pressing the concluding verses of the Hotrakas are those of the one day rite only; the one day (rite) is a support; verily thus at the end they establish the sacrifice on a support. Without taking a breath he should say the offering verse at the morning pressing; save for one or two (verses) he should not recite beyond the Stoma, (thinking) 'That is as if one were to give quickly to one neighing and thirsting; moreover I shall swiftly give proper food and Soma drinking to the gods.' Swiftly he finds support in the world. (He uses) an unlimited number at the two latter pressings; the world of heaven is unlimited; (verily it serves) to obtain the world of heaven. At pleasure the Hotṛ may recite whatever the Hotrakas may recite on the previous day; or the Hotrakas

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what the Hotṛ may recite; the Hotṛ is the breath, the Hotrakas the limbs; in common does this breath go through the limbs. Therefore at pleasure the Hotṛ may recite what the Hotrakas recite on the previous day, or the Hotrakas what the Hotṛ (recites). The Hotṛ keeps concluding with the ends of the hymns. Moreover the concluding verses of the Hotrakas are the same at the third pressing; the Hotṛ is the body, the Hotrakas the limbs; the ends of the limbs are the same; therefore the concluding verses of the Hotrakas at the third pressing are the same.

Linked texts (1)

Aitareyabrāhmaṇa — Mahidāsa Aitareya, Sanskrit